Monday, July 22, 2013

The July 2013 edition of Contract
Management magazine, published by the National Contract Management
Association (NCMA), included an encouraging article on how communications
between government and industry not only can improve outcomes and business
relationships, but also show positive results to improve requirements and the
opportunities for better outcomes overall.

The article, “MythBusting
– Communications with Industry,” (subscription required through NCMA membership),
written by Jeffrey D. Claar, a senior procurement analyst with the Program
Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI),
describes the successes at the establishment of monthly PEO STRI Acquisition
Center Procurement Administrative Lead Time (PALT) Industry Days.

These monthly forums demonstrate the way procurement offices are changing the dynamic of what most “normal” Industry Days entail, which are
time-consuming ways for government to advertise requirements that most
commercial professional business development types know better than government
personnel at the front of the room. Further, rarely are productive question asked,
as industry attendance is normally for scouting competition or finding
potential teaming partners.

However, living the spirit of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy's MythBusters is principal assistant responsible for contracting
(PARC), Joseph A. Giunta, Jr., who stated these forums are “a means of
providing ground truth and situational awareness of PEO STRI’s Acquisition
Center procurement process and ongoing procurements.”

The article goes on to talk about the value of the program,
and how communications have helped foster a collaborative environment.

…Since
August 2011, PEO STRI PALT Industry Days have grown exponentially, serving the
contracting community, requiring activities, and industry partners alike. The
monthly PALT Industry Day venue provides industry representatives with the status
of PEO STRI programs, ongoing procurements, and the distinct opportunity to
request updates on specific procurements of interest in a Q&A-type forum.
These types of venues have indeed enhanced communication and have enabled PEO
STRI to respond faster to critical, emerging requirements with innovative
acquisition and technology solutions, thereby putting the power of simulation
into the hands of our nation’s warfighters.

Recently,
as a result of sequestration, PEO STRI’s monthly PALT Industry Days have
swelled to more than 220 industry representatives and taken on a “standing room
only” reputation. As a result of this overwhelming desire by industry,
alternative overflow seating and viewing capacity have been predicated…

Further, the exchanges have been helpful and productive for
both parties, which one would expect when open and honest transparency, combined with a spirit of
collaboration are created, to develop better requirements and provide actionable
information for industry consumption:

…At
its core, the PALT Industry Day sessions are driven by industry’s questions and
not a fixed government agenda. Industry attendees routinely ask questions to a
senior PEO STRI panel—consisting of the PARC, deputy PARC, division chiefs,
program managers, and legal representation, as well as the Small Business
Program Office and a host of contracting officers—about contract types and PALT
milestones associated with a specific procurement. This has enabled industry
representatives to better allocate resources and facilitate their investment
decisions.

In
this unscripted setting, industry partners have been more open and comfortable
with sharing information, and in turn, as Giunta noted, “Better information is
obtained for the acquisition community and for industry partners to support
their pre/post-award activities.” Giunta went on to state, “While the sessions
are in essence driven by industry, we do have the ability to push information
to industry, leading to an educated partner.”…

As the sequestration vice tightens, it is even more important
than ever for industry and government to share vital information on how
missions will be supported with even more limited resources and contract
opportunities.

It is encouraging to see procurement shops proactively
improving their relations with industry through communications, and we can
expect better outcomes as a result.

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About Me

Mr. Gracia is President and CEO of Seville Government Consulting. He is an experienced consultant in government contracting and procurement processes, focusing on small business and government clients. He has 20 years of professional experience providing consulting support for the acquisition, training, and management of services and technology in the government and commercial sector including numerous DoD and Federal civilian agencies. He is a Navy veteran, actively supporting military organizations such as the USO, Soldier's Angels, and serving as CFO for Cigars for Warriors.